Conventionally, there is an information processing system for connecting to a server and updating an application and a system, using communication on the Internet.
In the information processing system, when, using local communication between a plurality of information processing apparatuses placed in a local network, each of the information processing apparatuses executes an application, the versions of the application of the respective apparatuses may need to be the same as each other. However, when the plurality of information processing apparatuses cannot update the application to the same version using communication on the Internet, the application cannot be executed using the local communication between the plurality of information processing apparatuses.
Therefore, it is an object of an exemplary embodiment to provide an information processing system and an information processing method for, even in a situation where an application cannot be updated using communication on the Internet, enabling the execution of the application by making the versions of the application the same among a plurality of information processing apparatuses.
To achieve the above object, the exemplary embodiment can employ, for example, the following configurations. It should be noted that it is understood that, to interpret the descriptions of the claims, the scope of the claims should be interpreted only by the descriptions of the claims. If there is a conflict between the descriptions of the claims and the descriptions of the specification, the descriptions of the claims take precedence.
In an exemplary configuration of an information processing system according to the exemplary embodiment, an information processing system includes a plurality of information processing apparatuses, each storing a user application and version information of the user application. At least one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses stores an update program for the user application. The information processing system includes computers each configured to: based on the version information owned by each of the information processing apparatuses, specify an information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the user application among the plurality of information processing apparatuses; directly transmit an update program for updating the user application to the newest version of the user application, through wireless communication from the information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the user application to an information processing apparatus that does not store the newest version of the user application among the plurality of information processing apparatuses; directly receive the transmitted update program through the wireless communication; and update the user application of an information processing apparatus having the computer among the plurality of information processing apparatuses, using the received update program.
Based on the above, even in a situation where an application cannot be updated using communication on the Internet, a user application can be executed by making the versions of the user application the same among a plurality of information processing apparatuses. Further, using so-called local communication in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses placed in a local network area directly wirelessly communicate with each other, the user application can be executed by making the versions of the user application the same among the plurality of information processing apparatuses.
Further, each of the computers of the plurality of information processing apparatuses may be further configured to set the information processing apparatus having the computer as either of a child apparatus and a parent apparatus having the computer configured to perform the specifying. The computer of the child apparatus may be further configured to transmit the version information of the user application stored in the information processing apparatus having the computer to the parent apparatus. The computer of the parent apparatus may be further configured to receive the version information transmitted from the child apparatus. In the specifying, based on the version information received from the child apparatus and the version information of the user application of the information processing apparatus having the computer, the information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the user application may be specified.
Based on the above, an information processing apparatus set as a parent apparatus among the plurality of information processing apparatuses can manage the versions of the user application stored in the respective information processing apparatuses.
Further, when the information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the user application is the parent apparatus, the computer of the parent apparatus may directly transmit through the wireless communication the update program for updating the user application to the newest version of the user application to the child apparatus that does not store the newest version of the user application, thereby performing the transmission of the update program. The computer of the child apparatus may directly receive the update program transmitted from the parent apparatus through the wireless communication, thereby performing the reception of the update program, and using the update program received from the parent apparatus, may update the user application of the information processing apparatus having the computer, thereby performing the update.
Based on the above, when the information processing apparatus set as the parent apparatus stores the newest version of the user application, the parent apparatus directly transmits an update program to a child apparatus through wireless communication, it is possible to make the versions of the user application stored in the plurality of information processing apparatuses the same as each other.
Further, when another child apparatus that does not store the newest version of the user application is further included in the information processing system, in the transmission of the update program, the update program may be further configured to be directly transmitted to the other child apparatus through the wireless communication. The computer of the other child apparatus may directly receive the update program transmitted from the parent apparatus through the wireless communication, thereby performing the reception of the update program, and may update the user application of the information processing apparatus having the computer using the update program received from the parent apparatus, thereby performing the update.
Based on the above, when the information processing apparatus as the parent apparatus stores the newest version of the user application, the parent apparatus also directly transmits the update program to another child apparatus through the wireless communication, whereby it is possible to make the versions of the user application stored in the parent apparatus and the plurality of child apparatuses the same as each other.
Further, when the information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the user application is the child apparatus, the computer of the parent apparatus may be further configured to request the update program for updating the user application to the newest version of the user application, from the child apparatus that stores the newest version of the user application. When the update program is requested by the parent apparatus, the computer of the child apparatus may directly transmit the update program to the parent apparatus through the wireless communication, thereby performing the transmission of the update program. The computer of the parent apparatus may directly receive the update program transmitted from the child apparatus through the wireless communication, thereby performing the reception of the update program, and may update the user application of the information processing apparatus having the computer using the update program received from the child apparatus, thereby performing the update.
Based on the above, when an information processing apparatus as a child apparatus stores the newest version of the user application, the child apparatus directly transmits an update program to the parent apparatus through wireless communication, whereby it is possible to make the versions of the user application stored in the plurality of information processing apparatuses the same as each other.
Further, when another child apparatus that does not store the newest version of the user application is further included in the information processing system, the computer of the parent apparatus may be further configured to directly transfer through the wireless communication the update program transmitted from the child apparatus to the other child apparatus. The computer of the other child apparatus may directly receive the update program transferred from the parent apparatus through the wireless communication, thereby performing the reception of the update program, and may update the user application of the information processing apparatus having the computer using the update program received from the parent apparatus, thereby performing the update.
Based on the above, when an information processing apparatus as a child apparatus stores the newest version of the user application, the parent apparatus directly transfers the update program to another child apparatus through the wireless communication, whereby it is possible to make the versions of the user application stored in the plurality of information processing apparatuses the same as each other.
Further, each of the plurality of information processing apparatuses may store, in addition to the user application, a basic application for at least controlling execution of the user application, and basic version information of the basic application. In this case, at least one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses may store a basic update program for the basic application. In the specifying, based on the basic version information owned by each of the information processing apparatuses, an information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the basic application among the plurality of information processing apparatuses may be further specified. In the transmission of the update program, the basic update program for updating the basic application to the newest version of the basic application may be further configured to be directly transmitted through the wireless communication from the information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the basic application to an information processing apparatus that does not store the newest version of the basic application among the plurality of information processing apparatuses. In the reception of the update program, the transmitted basic update program may be further configured to be directly received through the wireless communication. In the update, the basic application of the information processing apparatus having the computer may be further configured to be updated using the received basic update program.
Based on the above, by further making the versions of a basic application of the plurality of information processing apparatuses the same as each other, the basic application and the user application can be executed.
Further, in the update, when the basic application of the information processing apparatus having the computer is to be updated, and after the basic application of the information processing apparatus having the computer is updated using the received basic update program, the user application of the information processing apparatus having the computer may be updated using the received update program.
Based on the above, it is possible to prevent a failure due to the fact that the version of the basic application is different from the version of the user application.
Further, in the transmission of the update program, only when the basic application needs to be updated to the newest version to execute the newest version of the user application, the basic update program for updating the basic application to the newest version of the basic application may be transmitted to the information processing apparatus that does not store the newest version of the basic application.
Based on the above, the basic application is minimally updated to execute the user application. Thus, it is possible to reduce an update process and shorten the time until the user application becomes able to be executed.
Further, each of the computers of the plurality of information processing apparatuses may set the information processing apparatus having the computer as either of a child apparatus and a parent apparatus including a computer configured to perform the specifying. The computer of the child apparatus may be further configured to collectively transmit to the parent apparatus the version information of the user application stored in the information processing apparatus having the computer and the basic version information of the basic application stored in the information processing apparatus having the computer. The computer of the parent apparatus may be further configured to receive the version information and the basic version information transmitted from the child apparatus. In the specifying, based on the version information received from the child apparatus and the version information of the user application of the information processing apparatus having the computer, the information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the user application may be specified, and based on the basic version information received from the child apparatus and the basic version information of the basic application of the information processing apparatus having the computer, the information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the basic application may be specified.
Based on the above, version information of the basic application and the user application is collectively transmitted and received. Thus, it is possible to reduce the load of a data transmission/reception process and the load of a version management process.
Further, each of the computers of the plurality of information processing apparatuses may execute the user application, thereby transmitting and receiving data to and from the other information processing apparatuses, and based on the transmitted and received data, performs information processing.
Based on the above, the plurality of information processing apparatuses execute the user application of which the versions are made the same, whereby it is possible to achieve information processing in which the information processing apparatuses transmit and receive data to and from each other.
Further, in the setting, when the information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the basic application is the child apparatus, the child apparatus may be changed to a parent apparatus, and another one of the information processing apparatuses may be changed to a child apparatus.
Based on the above, the settings of parent and child apparatuses are changed, whereby it is possible to control communication such that the information processing apparatus that stores the newest version of the basic application is a parent apparatus.
Further, the exemplary embodiment may be carried out in the forms of an information processing apparatus, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an information processing program, and an information processing method.
According to the exemplary embodiment, even in a situation where an application cannot be updated using communication on the Internet, the application can be executed by making the versions of the application the same among a plurality of information processing apparatuses.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.